Nordea goes carbon neutral

We approach the UN Climate Change Conference, which will be held in Paris from 30 November to 11 December, where the business community will have the chance to show low-carbon leadership.

- Climate change is one of the greatest risks we face; tackling it is also one of our biggest economic opportunities. It is in the interest of the business community to take steps towards a low-carbon economy and to push policymakers to take further action, says Gunn Wærsted, Head of Wealth Management and Chairman of Nordea’s CSR Committee.

In 2014 Nordea’s total direct emissions were 45,462 metric tonnes of CO2. Nordea will become a carbon-neutral company by continuing to reduce own emissions, purchasing renewable energy and purchasing carbon offsets equal to the amount of CO2 emitted, which finance projects that reduce emissions.

As the leading financier in its home market, Nordea indirectly contributes to carbon emissions when financing companies with such emissions as part of their operations.

- We will of course discuss climate change and how it affects the strategies of our existing customers. We are keen to understand how they think and prepare for challenges and opportunities. We have decided not to start new customer relationships with companies primarily dependent on coal, says Gunn Wærsted.